1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber attenuator.
2. Description of the Related Art
An apparatus for optical fiber attenuation disclosed in R.O.C Utility Model No. 511714 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The apparatus includes a plug unit 11, an attenuation unit 12, and a socket unit 13. The plug unit 11 includes a shell body 111 in the form of a block and having a hole 110 therein, two locking holes 112 respectively formed on two sides of the shell body 111 (due to the viewing angle, only one locking hole 112 is shown), a fastening portion 113 extending inclinedly away from the shell body 111, and two fastening blocks 114 protrudingly extending from two sides of the fastening portion 113 and adjacent to the shell body 111. The attenuation unit 12 includes a first pin 121 that protrudes into the hole 110 of the shell body 111 and that provides for mounting of an optical fiber, a seat body 122 connected to the first pin 121, and a second pin 123 that is connected to the other end of the seat body 122 and that provides for mounting of an optical fiber. The socket unit 13 includes a base 131 in the form of a block, a protruding portion 132 extending from the base 131, a tube 133 that extends from the protruding portion 132 and that is adapted for insertion of the second pin 123, and two protrusion blocks 134 that protrudes from the tube 133 and that correspond to the two locking holes 112 (due to the viewing angle, only one protrusion block 134 is shown).
By engaging the protrusion blocks 134 with the locking holes 112 of the plug unit 11, the plug unit 11, the attenuation unit 12 and the socket unit 13 are firmly connected together. The fastening portion 113 of the plug unit 11 is pressed to move the two fastening blocks 114 downwards to enable insertion of the apparatus into a communication device (not shown in the figure), and then the fastening portion 113 is released to return the two fastening blocks 114 to their original positions for engagement with the communication device. Thus, the plug unit 11 is firmly connected with the communication device.
However, the plug unit 11 and the socket unit 13 are held by engaging with each other, and such a structure lacks strength. After multiple times of plugging in and unplugging from the communication device, the engagement between the plug unit 11 and the socket unit 13 may start to dislocate and wobble. Such displacement between the plug unit 11 and the socket unit 13 may affect optical transmission.